The Story of Ventura TRAVEL

From a student-organized Ecuador trip to a global house of specialist travel brands

It started with curiosity and a real connection

Ventura TRAVEL began with a belief: travel should change lives. Not just for travelers, but also for the people and places they visit. Long before it became a company, it was a feeling experienced on dusty buses, in family homes, and during late-night market conversations across South America.

What started as one traveler helping friends discover the continent slowly evolved into a purpose-driven ecosystem of specialist travel brands, always built on authenticity, small groups, and measurable positive impact.

The moment it became more than just travel

In 2000, during university, Andre co-organized a trip for 15 students to Ecuador. The impact was immediate: travelers came back transformed. Quickly, idea took root that this could be something more.

By September 2001, the first brand (Viventura) was born. By May 2002, the first official small-group trip (Peru, Bolivia & Chile) departed. No investors, no shortcuts, just conviction, dedication, and handwritten itineraries. Even before that first departure, support for local projects began in Peru under what would later become V Social Foundation, proving that Ventura was always designed with responsibility first, business second.

Growth not by scale, but by specialization

Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, Viventura grew organically, never chasing mass tourism. The focus remained: small groups, authentic suppliers, fair partnerships, human-first travel.

By the mid-2010s, one brand couldn’t hold all the potential. The model evolved: instead of one giant brand, Ventura became a House of Specialist Brands, each led by someone in love with their region.

Automation and later AI allowed the company to scale operations without losing human connection. Technology became more like an enabler, freeing teams to focus on impact, not admin.

Today, Ventura remains founder-led and values-driven, expanding globally while protecting authenticity.

Key milestones in the Ventura TRAVEL story

And for 2026, we're already looking forward to our 25th anniversary celebration in Arequipa.

Why Ventura Travel Exists, Passion First, Impact Always

Andre

Founder & CEO Ventura Travel

I fell in love with South America long before I founded Ventura Travel. I wanted to show this continent as it really is, raw, human, powerful, and make it accessible to travelers around the world without losing authenticity or soul. That idea became Viventura.

But my ambition was never to scale one brand endlessly. My passion stayed with South America, yet my curiosity grew for the people who feel the same fire for Japan, Africa, etc. Instead of copying one model everywhere, I chose a different path, find intrapreneurs with deep regional or thematic passion and give them the tools, trust, and platform to build their own specialist brands under Ventura Travel.

At the core, this is about doing travel right. Travel that respects local people, creates real connections, protects nature, and leaves something positive behind. If we do our job well, travel does more than move people, it makes the world a little better.

What never changed:

Small groups over mass volume

Local-first partnerships with guides, families, and communities

Responsibility embedded before revenue (V Social pre-first trip)

Founder mindset: each brand led by someone who loves their region

Technology used to empower people, not replace them

The promise of our future

Ventura TRAVEL will continue scaling its specialist travel brands while preserving authenticity.

We will keep investing in local communities, conservation, and impact-first tourism. We will grow smarter, not louder. We will use technology to enhance humanity, not distance from it.

Learn more about our approach to responsible travel

Link to the responsibilty page

Check out our plans for the future

Link to IPO page

It started with curiosity and a real connection

The moment it became more than just travel

In 2000, during university, Andre co-organized a trip for 15 students to Ecuador. The impact was immediate: travelers came back transformed. Quickly, idea took root that this could be something more.

Growth not by scale, but by specialization

Throughout the 2000s and early 2010s, Viventura grew organically, never chasing mass tourism. The focus remained: small groups, authentic suppliers, fair partnerships, human-first travel.

Automation and later AI allowed the company to scale operations without losing human connection. Technology became more like an enabler, freeing teams to focus on impact, not admin.

Today, Ventura remains founder-led and values-driven, expanding globally while protecting authenticity.

Key milestones in the Ventura TRAVEL story

Late 1990s

Ventura founder Andre studies, works, and travels across South America.

August 2000

The first group trip to Ecuador is organized for 15 university students.

March 2001

The plan to create the company takes shape. Andre, Magnus, Miguel, and Robi build the first website.

March 2002

Community support initiatives begin in Arequipa, marking the very beginning of what will become VSocial.

May 2002

We run our first official Viventura trip, taking travelers through Peru, Bolivia, and Chile.

2003

We open a large Berlin office to house our growing sales and service teams during the early expansion phase.

2005

To celebrate the Viventura way of life, we create our own song, you can still listen to it here.

2005

We build a network across Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Ecuador & Peru to run our trips.

2006

VSocial launches the Capachica water project, supporting around 60 families.

2006

Our expansion into the French market begins, led by Veronique and supported by early local partners.

2007

We launch our first annual customer events, one in summer and one in winter

2008

The website is relaunched with a modern, customer-focused design, driving growth in the years that follow.

2009

We launch the House of Specialists, partnering with other niche tour operators to share expertise and marketing efforts.

2010

Medellin becomes our headquarters with hubs in Arequipa for Operations, Medellin for IT and Marketing, and Berlin for Sales and Finance.

2012

Our first company offsitee takes place, bringing the team together for four weeks of working in one location and starting a tradition that continues today.

photos related to post http://blog.viventura.de/?p=54458

2012

The company headquarters move from Medellin to Berlin, with operational offices in Cuzco and La Paz.

2015

Our second company offsite takes place, originally linked to achieving the Q1 goal. From 2016 onward, the offsite becomes an annual event.

2015

Jonathan launches Puraventura, targeting the French market and opening Central America as a new region with fresh destinations and experiences.

2016

Viventura becomes Ventura Travel as Puraventura's success shows the need for a broader name beyond South America.

2017

Galapatours becomes our first platform brand, setting the foundation for more growth.

2018

In March, the pilot trip of Japaventura starts. Francesca becomes our first intrapreneur, founding a new brand after successfully applying to launch it with us.

2018

Our biggest offsite yet, marking the full transition to Ventura Travel, with multiple brands participating, including Persiaventura and Chinaventura.

2019

VSocial sharpens its focus on community-based tourism with a clear purpose. We also launch Grekaventura, which later evolves into Gustoventura.

2020

Covid hits. Staying true to our values, Ventura does not let anyone go during the pandemic to keep our customers safe. We use this time to rebuild and launch Asiaventura and Polartours.

2021

The corona break allows us to fully rebuild our software, with the fourth version going live in 2021. At the same time, we launch Africaventura.

2021

We acquire China Tours and Sapio, laying groundwork for growth and using the quiet Covid period to prepare for reopening.

2022

After years of remote work, a mini offsite brings us back together in person. We travel to Egypt and spend two weeks working there as one team.

2023

We announce plans for an IPO and introduce virtual shares, designed to reward long-term commitment and strong performance.

2024

Grekaventura & Sapio merge into Gustoventura, our food-focused Mediterranean brand, with the offsite held in Thailand.

2025

Forest Guardians launches as a Ventura funded rainforest initiative with the Sinchi Warmi community. Karmaventura is introduced the same year.